how do you become a barre instructor?
Whether you took your first barre class and immediately fell in love or are a seasoned barre babe, you’ll need to find and attend an instructor training course or workshop to become an instructor! The first step is to find a barre method that you truly believe in. There are a few large franchises like Barre3, Pure Barre, or The Barre Method, but many independent studios, like Splendid Barre, offer highly technical and comprehensive trainings. Each studio’s methods and teaching philosophies are unique; evaluating the studio’s mission statement and comparing it to your fitness goals or personal values can help you find the right fit. If you're able to take a few classes at the studio you have your eye on, do it! And try to take classes from different instructors to see if they are able to add their own flair to their workouts or if they follow a specific repertoire.
Instructor trainings can be costly. You’ll need to see if the studio you are interested in fits within your budget, or if they offer scholarships or payment plans. Make sure you are getting enough bang for your buck by learning what is included in the training: how many hours is it? Do they limit the number of attendees? Are the materials included in the training fee? What resources will you have access to after the training is complete? If the studio is not transparent about these things, it could be a red flag. Don't hesitate to reach out to the studio or training instructor to find out more information on what you will receive when you sign up.
While you are evaluating the instructor trainings, you will need to do some self-evaluation as well. Becoming a barre instructor is not easy. Many times the training is just the beginning, and you will need to dedicate a few hours a week to practice teaching, writing workouts, and attending classes before becoming comfortable enough to stand in front of a room full of clients and lead a class.
Some studios require an audition, more on that later, but let’s chat about some skills you need before jumping in to your training journey. A big hang-up for instructor hopefuls is musicality and rhythmic awareness. Can you find the beat of the music, move with it, then have the added challenge of talking all at the same time? The ability to multitask will improve with practice, but having an internal sense of rhythm can take years to develop, so barre may not be the best fit if you can’t find the beat. You also need enough bodily awareness and coordination to maintain good form without thinking about it or having to check yourself out in the mirror. You can test this by taking a video of yourself from different angles while you perform a few simple exercises like squats, reverse lunges, a bird dog, or lateral raises. You should be able to perform all of these exercises with a neutral spine, good balance, no hyperextension in the elbows or knees, and without the knees buckling in towards your midline or flaring outward. Your training instructor will correct your form, but you have to be able to take that correction and apply it almost immediately. The skill of demonstrating proper form is extremely important when it comes to keeping your clients (and you!) pain and injury-free. Lastly, you don't need to be an extrovert to teach, but you DO need to be personable. Many clients want to connect with their instructors; it's what keeps them coming back to your classes! If you hate people or are intensely shy, this may not be the right career path.
You may not be required to audition, but let's delve into common audition practices just in case. You likely will be asked to teach an exercise or two to a group of other instructor hopefuls or certified instructors. Some studios will ask you to prepare an exercise yourself or will give a prewritten exercise on the day of the audition. Studios are looking to see your personality, how comfortable you are on the mic and in front of a crowd, if you are athletic enough, and if you can keep time with the music while teaching.
A few tips:
1. Practice talking and moving to music at various tempos before the audition.
2. If you make a mistake or stumble over your words, do not dwell on it and do not apologize! Even seasoned instructors will say lunge when they mean squat every once in a while. Correct yourself, then move on.
3. It will feel uncomfortable to hear yourself speak and breathe over the mic, DON’T try to hold your breath or make your voice smaller. You need to project and enunciate your words and you can’t do that without breathing.
4. Be the kindest person in the room. Greet everyone, smile, and cheer on the other auditioners.
Believe in yourself! You’ve got this.
We hope this helped you on your journey to becoming an instructor! It's a truly rewarding experience where you will grow, inspire others, and make a positive impact. We offer Splendid Barre Instructor Certification Workshops 2-3 times a year in person and online! Click below to find out more; we're excited to support you every step of the way.
